(24 Nov 2015, 5:26 pm)Jimmi wrote I can't see how you think deliberate late running is not as big as problem on a frequent route rather than just limited frequency services, I'd sharp notice late running on the 7 which has a 15 minute frequency. I know it's obviously worse on the likes of the X20 but still.
Do drivers at other Arriva depots tend to wait for passengers to sit down before pulling away from a stop like most of Darlington depot's drivers tend to do? Although it was typical the one driver I've had recently that didn't do this was the one I had on the 5 to Darlington yesterday where I had to climb over someone's dog which was sat in the middle of the bloody aisle.
Company policy dictates that you should wait for all passengers to be seated or securely standing before moving away. Of course when you are running late you will often find drivers pulling away before this, putting themselves at (admittedly low) risk of action being taken should anything happen. That's why some drivers will stick to the rules, especially if they are on a disciplinary tight rope should we say.
Late running occurs every day on every service, however there is clearly a divide between certain depots that is obvious when you see statistics across various services. Anything above 5 minutes late is counted as late on our statistics and counts against a drivers punctuality stats. I myself have dropped about 10% in the last few months... Purely because of the amount of roadworks on our route, I just can't be bothered any more pushing to try and stay on time when there's 3 or 4 sets of temporary lights where you can lose 2-3 minutes each time.